Dual Degree Applicants

Maximize your skill set by earning another graduate degree along with your Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree. Dual degree options allow a predetermined number of credits from each program to count toward electives in the other, making it possible to complete both a U.S. law degree and a master’s degree or Canadian law degree in just four years.

You must meet the requirements established by each academic unit to be admitted into a dual degree program. For more information, contact both the MSU Law Office of Admissions and the appropriate graduate school. Admission to each program is independent, though strong performance in the first year of law school will enhance the likelihood of admission to the other graduate program. While most dual-degree students begin their studies as a law student, it is possible to first matriculate in the graduate program if admission to the J.D. program has been granted.

U.S./Canadian Dual J.D. Program with the University of Ottawa

The Canadian and American Dual J.D. Program offers an opportunity for students to earn Canadian and American Juris Doctor degrees in a total of four years. The program prepares students for the economic and social consequences of international integration and globalization, while making them marketable on both sides of the border.

Prospective dual J.D. students who wish to begin the program at MSU Law are eligible for our generous scholarship and grant program, which provides full- and partial-tuition awards to as many as 150 incoming students each year. All candidates who apply to MSU Law by February 1 will receive full consideration for scholarship aid; a separate application is not required.

Students must be ranked in the top half of their class after their 2L year to be admitted into the Ottawa portion of the Dual J.D. Program. Those who begin the program in East Lansing pay MSU Law tuition rates for the first 88 credits of the program. Remaining credits taken at the University of Ottawa Faculty of Law will be assessed at 50 percent of MSU Law’s tuition rate. Students must complete two full academic years in residence at each institution and fulfill all other program requirements.

Program graduates may sit for the bar examination in the United States and/or the Canadian Barrister’s Exam. Candidates also must “article” (work under the supervision of a practicing lawyer) for one year in order to practice law in Canada.

J.D./M.B.A. Program

Position yourself for a variety of leadership roles by completing a law degree along with a Master’s of Business Administration (M.B.A.) at Broad College of Business, MSU’s nationally ranked business program.

Customized Dual Degrees

MSU College of Law’s integration with a world-class university allows countless opportunities for you to build interdisciplinary expertise through custom-crafted dual degree programs. Examples include: